Jonathan Wilson
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Some of Africa’s best teams will be eliminated early, whereas the weaker teams have their best ever chance to progress
• Avram Grant confirmed as Ghana’s new coach
• The rumour that failed to amuse Michael EssienGiven the seeding pots, the potential for an atrociously difficult group at next month’s Africa Cup of Nations was always there. The draw delivered, spectacularly and brutally. Algeria, the top-ranked team in Africa, the only one of the Cup of Nations qualifiers to reach the last 16 of the World Cup, were the danger lurking in Pot 2 and Ghana the unlucky seeds. But worse than that, Ghana had already been grouped with Senegal – by some distance the best team in Pot 4 – and, from Pot 3, the side that eliminated the champions Nigeria in qualifying, South Africa, resurgent under Shakes Mashaba.
If one of the aims of this tournament was to direct the attention to Mongomo, the home town of the Equatoguinean president, Obiang Nguema, the draw could hardly have worked out better. There have been clear efforts over the past few years to raise the profile of the town on Equatorial Guinea’s eastern border with Gabon. In 2009, for instance, a huge basilica, 200m long, was built, while there is a modern five-star hotel that, until now, had been in search of a purpose. It will presumably host all four of the teams in Group C.
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• Avram Grant confirmed as Ghana’s new coach
• The rumour that failed to amuse Michael EssienGiven the seeding pots, the potential for an atrociously difficult group at next month’s Africa Cup of Nations was always there. The draw delivered, spectacularly and brutally. Algeria, the top-ranked team in Africa, the only one of the Cup of Nations qualifiers to reach the last 16 of the World Cup, were the danger lurking in Pot 2 and Ghana the unlucky seeds. But worse than that, Ghana had already been grouped with Senegal – by some distance the best team in Pot 4 – and, from Pot 3, the side that eliminated the champions Nigeria in qualifying, South Africa, resurgent under Shakes Mashaba.
If one of the aims of this tournament was to direct the attention to Mongomo, the home town of the Equatoguinean president, Obiang Nguema, the draw could hardly have worked out better. There have been clear efforts over the past few years to raise the profile of the town on Equatorial Guinea’s eastern border with Gabon. In 2009, for instance, a huge basilica, 200m long, was built, while there is a modern five-star hotel that, until now, had been in search of a purpose. It will presumably host all four of the teams in Group C.
Continue reading...
More...